Every program that starts with Windows adds to your boot time and uses memory in the background. Turning off the ones you don’t need is one of the easiest ways to make a PC feel faster, and it’s completely reversible.
Quick answer
Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc, open the Startup apps
tab (Startup in Windows 10), right-click an app and choose Disable.
Method 1: Task Manager
- Press
Ctrl + Shift + Esc.
- Open
Startup apps (Windows 11) or the Startup tab (Windows 10).
If you don’t see tabs, click More details first.
- Look
at the Startup impact column. Apps marked High slow your
startup the most.
- Right-click
an app you don’t need and choose Disable.
[Screenshot: the Startup apps tab with the Disable option]
Method 2: Settings
Open Settings → Apps → Startup. Turn off the switch
next to any app you don’t want at startup. This list also shows how much impact
each app has.
What is safe to disable
- Chat
and meeting apps you open only sometimes
- Game
launchers and music players
- Cloud
storage apps you don’t need syncing immediately
- Printer
or camera helper apps, which you can launch when needed
- Update
checkers for programs you rarely use
What to leave enabled
- Windows
Security or your antivirus
- Touchpad,
audio and graphics drivers or utilities
- Anything
you aren’t sure about. Search for the name first, or leave it on.
Check your change
Restart your PC and see if it starts faster. If an app you
needed stopped working, go back to the same list and set it to Enabled.
Extra tip: stop apps from running in the background
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